Colleges are allowing smart phones or laptops in class for taking notes

MUMBAI: With the start of the exam season, students across colleges are busy preparing for papers with the help of apps.

Owing to a string of free apps available online that can be downloaded on most smart phones, students are ditching the copious note taking and revision methods and are adopting new age l ear ning methods.

For instance, Evernote, the multi-platform note sharing app, has become immensely popular among students as it allows them to synchronise all their notes across devices.

“In class, I take down notes on the app and later edit it. By doing this, I don’t have go through multiple notebooks to study during exams as all my notes are in one place. If someone misses a lecture, I can just forward my notes to them via the app too,” said Shivani Tyagi, a mass media student.

The trend in India reflects a worldwide movement towards these learning apps.

A 2013 survey by UK based Educational App Store (EAS), a company specialising in integration of mobile learning in schools and colleges, found that 87% of the respondents used their tablets or mobile devices for studying while 50% said that they would download apps recommended by peers and education institutions.

While such numbers might be a long way for Indian students, colleges are warming up to the idea of allowing phones or laptops in class for taking notes.

Some teachers added a cautionary note.

“Students can now type faster than they write. However, technology should remain a supplement, not a replacement i n classrooms,” said Jyoti Thakur, vice principal, Jai Hind College.

Hridesh Jain, a CA student makes use of a variety of education apps such as ‘The constitution of India’ or the law dictionary that lists out all laws and acts at the tip of your finger. Dictionary apps too are a must have in student phones these days

While most of these popular apps are created in the US, indigenous apps are not far behind.

Mangesh Karandikar, professor at Mumbai university’s mass communication department developed a series of android apps called ‘Edusanchar,’ which has notes explaining complex communication theory in simple, easy to read formats.

They joined as peons but went on to etch their fortune at HC library

When 48-year-old Sachin Ambolkar decided to be a chauffeur to a Bombay High Court judge, he had no idea how the forthcoming years of his life would shape up. Ambolkar is now among a group employed in the Bombay High Court’s Judges’ Library who say they are living their dream, courtesy a “driving force” in the form of the chief librarian who persuaded them to pursue higher education. Motivated by chief librarian Uma Narayan, Ambolkar went on to complete his graduation and is now an assistant in the library. What helped Ambolkar bag the job was his brief stint with a private library when he was in school, at a meager Rs 90 per day for a four-hour shift.

Mangesh Mhaskar’s tale is similar to Ambolkar’s. With a Class 12 certificate, Mhaskar started out as a peon in the library in 1998. He now holds three degrees – a bachelor’s in commerce and library science, and a masters in library science.

“I used to pick up books from the library and hand them to staff in the judges’ chambers or courtrooms, but always felt the need to achieve something more,” Mhaskar says. Reminiscing how his selection as an assistant in the library turned out to be the happiest moment, Mhaskar later found balancing studies and work quite a task. “Narayan ma’am was a big support then. She pushed us so that we could accomplish better things in life,” he says.

Now the section officer and designer of the Judge’s Library web page, Anant Pawar also started off as a peon delivering books to judges. After Narayan introduced computers in the library in 1998, Pawar developed a keen interest in learning the nuances of operating them. “The urge to learn something new kept me going. Narayan never made a fuss over mistakes I made on the computer. She would just rectify them,” says Pawar, who joined the library in 1986.

He may have only completed Class X, but Pawar now handles the digitisation section and works on modification of the library’s web page, the only high court library webpage in India.

Another inspiring story is that of library assistant Suman D Raut who joined as a peon in 1994, but now holds bachelors degrees in arts and library science. Raut’s father served as a “chobdar” in a judge court and wanted his son to complete graduation. “He, however, passed ssss when I was writing my Class 11 exams. To fulfill his dreams I took time out from work at the library and pursued higher education. Narayan Ma’am gave me the leeway to balance both,” Raut says.

Then there is Rajesh Jadhav who joined the library as a peon and is now an assistant. Jadhav says, “Narayan Ma’am’s constant scolding made me realise the dividends that come with higher education.” Library clerk Arjun Shinde, who works in the billing section, had a son pursuing engineering, but he (Shinde) was persuaded to complete his bachelors degree, studying along with his son.

The secret to the success of the library, all of them – Ambolkar, Mhaskar, Pawar, Raut and Jadhav – say is team work. Narayan, the driving force behind the success stories, says, “Their eagerness to learn has helped all of them reach where they have. The key lies in retaining old hands and enhancing their skills rather than hiring new ones.”